Adjustable headgear



Nov. 17, 1964 w. TIMM 3,156,9.23

ADJUSTABLE HEADGEAR Filed June 2o, 1962 wf INVENTOR @4v-J? TJMM.

United States Patent O 3,156,923 ADBUSTABLE HEADGEAR Walter rlinnn, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to Mine Safety Appliance Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed June 20, 1962, Ser. No. 204,007

2 Claims. (Cl. 2 3) This invention relates to headgear suspensions for face protective shields, welding helmets and the like, and more particularly to such headgear in which the headband and crown strap are adjustable so that the headgear can be made to comfortably conform to heads of dilierent configurations.

It is an object of this invention to provide a headgear having simple and reliable means of size adjustment which is integral with the headgear. Another object is to provide an adjustable headgear which is light, strong and durable. Another object is to provide an adjustable headgear which is inexpensive and is made with a minimum number of manufacturing operations.

These and other objects Will be apparent from the following description with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a unitary headgear con structed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line lI-II ot FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along line III-III of FIG, l;

FIG. 4 is another embodiment of this invention wherein the headband and crown strap are separately formed.

Referring to the drawings especially FIGS. l, 2 and 3, the headgear comprises a headband 2 that encircles and engages the head and a single crown strap 4, integrally formed with the headband, that engages the head and keeps the headband at the proper position on the head. The headband and crown strap are formed of a polymeric material which is liexible but is sufficiently resilient and rigid to tend to retain its shape, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, or the like.

The headband is split and has an inner end portion 6 that is overlapped by outer end portion 8, which is formed with a plurality of aligned and circumferentially spaced apertures 1l). An outwardly extending stud 12, integral with the inner end portion of the headband engages any one of the apertures 10 to adjust the size of the headband. Outwardly extending loops 14 and 16, integral with the inner end portion of the headband, are circumferentially spaced on each side of stud 12 and receive and retain the overlapping outer end portion of the headband, holding it tightly against the inner end portion to prevent unintentional disengagement of stud 12 and aperture 1li. The headband is sufficiently iiexible to permit the easy insertion of end portion 6 in the loops and the engagement of stud 12 and aperture 10, but is sufficiently resilient and rigid to return to its original shape and tightly retain end portion 6.

The crown strap 4 is integrally formed and extends upwardly from one side portion 18 of the headband and has a free end portion 20 formed with a plurality of lengthwise spaced apertures 22. Diametrically opposed to the said side portion there are integrally formed with the headband an upper loop or bracket 24, a lower bracket 26, and a stud 23 spaced between 4the brackets. The brackets receive and retain the end portion 20 of the 3,156,923 Patented Nov. 17, 1964 ice crown strap and stud 28 engages any one of the apertures 22 to adjust the crown height of the suspension, similarly to the manner of adjusting the headband size. The lower bracket 26 and a similar bracket 30 on the opposite side ot the headband are made sufficiently thick to be rigid enough to support a head-protecting shield which may be attached in any conventional manner, as by a support member secured to lthe bracket by bolts extending through holes 32. Usually such support members pivotally engage the face protecting shield. Preferably there is an opening 34 in the headband behind the supporting brackets to facilitate bolting or riveting a face shield support member to the brackets.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the headband size is adjusted the same way as in FIG. l, but the crown strap 3 is a separate piece. The two end portions 5 of the crown strap are each formed with a plurality of apertures 7 which are selectively engaged by studs 9 integrally formed on diametrically opposed sides of the headband. The upper crown strap receiving brackets 11 have upwardly diverging side walls 13 and the lower crown strap receiving brackets 15 have downwardly diverging side walls 17 and an outer wall 19, which permits the crown strap to pivot on studs 9 providing a forward and rearward adjustment of the crown strap for the most comfortable lit on various head shapes. A face protecting shield is secured through a suitable support member to the outer wall 19 of brackets 15.

The headgear of this invention can be readily formed by injection molding or casting of a suitable polymeric material; when a separate cradle strap is used it is most conveniently formed of an extruded tape or the like.

While specific embodiments of my invention have been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various changes and modifications can be made within the intended scope of my invention and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A head engaging suspension for face-protecting shields comprising an annular headband having opposed side portions and a crown strap having two end portions, the beadband and crown strap being made of a material which is exible but suiciently rigid to tend to retain its shape, means to circumferentially adjust the size of the headband, a plurality of apertures spaced lengthwise in each said end portion, an integral U-shaped upper bracket on each opposing side portion and receiving said end portion comprising outwardly extending and upwardly diverging side walls, an integral outwardly extending stud spaced below each upper bracket and selectively pivotally engaging said apertures, an integral U-shaped lower bracket spaced below each stud and receiving a said end portion comprising outwardly extending downwardly diverging side walls, and means adapted to support a face protecting shield secured to said each lower bracket.

2. A head engaging suspension for face-protecting shields comprising a unitary headband having overlapped inner and outer end portions and opposed side portions, and a crown strap having two end portions, the headband and crown strap being made of a material which is llexible but sufficiently rigid to tend to retain its shape; a plurality of circumferentially spaced apertures in said outer end portion, two integral outwardly extending loops circumferentially spaced on said inner end portion and receiving said outer end portion, an integral outwardly extending stud spaced between said loops and selectively engaging saidapertlires; a plurality ofapertures spaced lengthwise in veach said crown -strap end portion; an integral U- shaped upper bracket on each said opposing side portion and receiving a said crown strap end portion compris ing outwardly extending and upwardly diverging side Walls, an integral outwardly extending stud spaced below each upper bracket and selectively engaging said crown strap apertures, an integral U-shaped lower bracket spaced below each stud and receiving a said crown strap end portion comprising outwardly extending and downwardly diverging side Walls, and means adapted to support a face shield secured to said each lower bracket.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hynard et al Mar. 12, 1907 Huntsman Febr. 15, 1949 Greenblatt Nov. 6, 1960 Archbold Jan. 16, 1962 Gurtowski July 3, 1962 Malcom Aug. 7, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS France Dec. 5, 196() 

1. A HEAD ENGAGING SUSPENSION FOR FACE-PROTECTING SHIELDS COMPRISING AN ANNULAR HEADBAND HAVING OPPOSED SIDE PORTIONS AND A CROWN STRAP HAVING TWO END PORTIONS, THE BEADBAND AND CROWN STRAP BEING MADE OF A MATERIAL WHICH IS FLEXIBLE BUT SUFFICIENTLY RIGID TO TEND TO RETAIN ITS SHAPE, MEANS TO CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ADJUST THE SIZE OF THE HEADBAND, A PLURALITY OF APERTURES SPACED LENGTHWISE IN EACH SAID END PORTION, AN INTEGRAL U-SHAPED UPPER BRACKET ON EACH OPPOSING SIDE PORTION AND RECEIVING SAID END PORTION COMPRISING OUTWARDLY EXTENDING AND UPWARDLY DIVERGING SIDE WALLS, AN INTEGRAL OUTWARDLY EXTENDING STUD SPACED BELOW EACH UPPER BRACKET AND SELECTIVELY PIVOTALLY ENGAGING SAID APERTURES, AN INTEGRAL U-SHAPED LOWER BRACKET SPACED BELOW EACH STUD AND RECEIVING A SAID END PORTION COMPRISING OUTWARDLY EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY DIVERGING SIDE WALLS, AND MEANS ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A FACE PROTECTING SHIELD SECURED TO SAID EACH LOWER BRACKET. 